Decorative yarn



A g- 1952 L. SILVERMAN 2,607,185

DECORATIVE YARN Filed Aug. l, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 jil xxx/

jm/wan Patented Aug. 19, ,1952

UNITED STATES ?maar .v z w a 2,607,l85 n DECoRATv yAnn' g iLeoSilverman, Elk-ins Parkgl a V Application August 1, 1956, sermons'.171965 V 6 Cai-ms;-- (ci.57-{- 15" 1{);- n

The present 'invention relates to a new and useful construction indecorative yarns for fabric. braids, tapes, trimmings and the' like,Wher'eby a random distribution of metal or 'color can be achieved in' atexti'l'e fabric, braid; tape, lace, knit material or' the like, inwhich the'scattered or distributed color-spots or metal-spots throughoutthe fabric will have a more or less random and yet pattern-likeefiect,and in which such metal or color spotswill be durable and permanent,without Shedding when the fabric' or other textile structure 'is in'use, and will be immune or relatively immune to wear or light ortarnishing or fading. r

The present invention further contemplates a yarn construction of thischaracter in which the decorative elements of the composite yarn readilywill withstand weaving, knitting, braiding or lace-making Operations,the same as' any sturdy yarn, without the loss of the metal or'decorative components of `the yarn or without shifting or slipping-ofsuch components in relation tothe core of the yarn. i

With the above and other objects' in view, whichwill appear more fullyfrom the following description, the present invention contemplates acomposite yarn structure or construction comprising a background strandor' strands and a contrasting decorative strand or strandsextending;generally parallel thereto,-without being. appreciably inter-twistedtherewith, and armuch' thinner orrfinerbinding strand spirally Wrappedaround the' background and the decorative element at a pitchsufiiciently great or open that the space between successiveconvolutions of the binder strand will be substantially greater than thethickness of the binding strand, thereby' to expose substantially all ofthe decorativev strand; the relatively thinner binder filament alsoserving to secure into position the decorative component '2 whether thedecorative component '2 a be alongone side of the core io, or spiralled,or reversibly spiralled, or, otherwise positioned contiguous to the core'0. V

The presentinvention further contemplates a laminated decorativecomponent, having .two

outer laminations of a plastic such as averythin acetate sheet orcoating and an inner layer of a very thin metallic sheet, as, forinstance, 'alumi-v num. A suitable dyemay be employed either in theacetate or between the plastic and the metal, to give the decorativecomponentboth color and a metallic sheen. The laminated structurepernits reinforcing the metallic component so that it will withstand'the'stressesand strains incident arnuinto fabric,'brai'd,-"lace, rug orthe* like; and' without any shiftin'g jorslipping of the' decorativecomponent in relation to the` background strand or the balance ot. theya`rn.'

V Thepresent invention ralso contemplates the formation 'and use of amulti-ply'stripcbrnposed' o'f a plurality `oflaminatedfdecorativefcomponents, as described in. the' preceding`p'aragraph. Thus, the`multi-pl stripj may be composed of' a first,colored, acetate-covered metallie strip, and a .seconddifierently-colored, acetatet-covered metallic strip; said plies .placedside by side* and bound ftogether with a relatively* thin binding strandwhich is spirally Wrapped about the plies', at an extended pitch. toproduce' a multi-ply strip' of durable colorful metallic like materialhaving a plurality of colors.

The present invention further contemplates a Woven, knitted, braided,lace-ma'de' or a pile fabric or the like, in which' metal-like'particles extend through the whole fabric in a random pattern; whichpattern changes, in the view v there are shown in the accompanyingdrawings forms thereof. whichare at present preferred, although it' isto be understood that the various instrumentalities' of which theinvention consists can be variously arranged and organized and that theinvention is not limited to the precise arrangements and organizationsofthe instrumentalities as herein shown and described.

In the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters indicatelike parts:

. Figure 1 represents an 'enlarged, iragmentary view of a strand of thedecorative 'yarn of one embodiment of the' present invention.

Figure 2 represents a fragmentaryv plan view of a fabricmade with theembodiment ot the decorative yarn of the present invention shown inFigure 1.

Figure 3 represents a fragmentary plan view of another' type of. fabricmade With the embodiment of the decorative yarn'of the present inventionshown in Figure' I.

Figure 4 represents a fragmentary perspective view of a colored and'acetate-coated metallic sheet from which the decorative. components ofthe yarn of the present' invention are made: Figures representsa'cross-sectional view taken generally along li`ne,5- 5 of Figure 4.

Figure "6 represents anenlarged, fragmentary perspective viewlof anotherembodime'nt of the decorative yarn 'of the 'present invention.

to the manufacture of the composite decorative "In one embodiment ofthe'present invention,

illustrated in Figures l, 2 and 3, a strand of yarn 9 having abackground core Hl of cotton, mercerized cotton. rayon, nylon or anyother suitable material, is provided. The core '0 may be composed of aplurality of individual spirally-wound fibers Il or may be a singlegenerally longitudinal filament or core (not shown). The core '0 may beof any diameter and color desirable.

Extending'generally parallel with the axis of the core ill is a1o`ng,.thin andrelatively narrow strip or decorative component '2 formedfrom a colored, acetate-coated metallic Sheet, as is shown particularlyin Figure 1. The decorative component '2 is held in place against thecore ID by a strand '3 of relatively small-diametered cctton or nylon orrayon or other threads, filaments or the like which is Wrapped aroundthe core n at an extended pitch; i. e. the pitch of the spiral strand '3being much greater than its diameter, so that the intervenirgspacebetween successive 'loops i'sfl much greater than the diameter of the'strand whereby'to expose' a large sur-' face-area 'ofthe core wtherebetween. Moreover, because the diameter 'of the strand [3 isrelatively srall, vvery little surface-area of the deccrativecomponent'2 is covered where the strand passestherever;

Although the decorative' component '2 extends generally' 'parallelto'the axis ofthe core Hl, the spiralling ofthe 'strand l3 about thecore 'n, secures the decorative'component '2 closely thereto, whetherthedecorative component [2 is parallel thereto," spiralled about,reversibly spiralled about, or otherwise positioned relative to the core'0. A non-uniform 'spiralling of the decorative component '2 isespecially advantageous. Thus, the metallic sheen or surface which isgiven to the yarn 9' appears at random places and is distributed overthe' surface at various places around the periphery of the core Hl. V

When a fabric is manufactured from the embodiment of the yarn of the'present invention shown in Figure l, as isillustrated in Figures 2 and3, the metallic spots or colored portions of the yarn (imparted thereto-by the decorative i compohentl) appear at randomon the fabriesurface.Moreover, "the position' of the metallic spotsfappears tolch'angeasflthe angle of incidence of line-of-sightof the person lookingat thefabric 'shifts, because of the slow spiral twist of the decorativecomponent '2 about the core '0. Thus, if the fabric is viewed generally,at a right angle to the surface thereof, the metallic spots appear atcertain places on the surface of the fabric. but if the fabric is viewedwith the line-of-sight striking the surface thereof at an acute angle,the spots will appear at difierent places on the fabric becausethe'lightwillbe reflected from different portions of the decorativecomponent as it spirals or twists aboutthe 'core lfl from which thefabric is made.

This random and variegated disposition and appearance of the decorativemetallic and colorful spots imparts anovel and Zdesirable appearance tofabric made of the yarn of the' present invention. V l

The decorative component lz'of thepresent invention reduces dr'eliminates tarnishing or fading orshedding ofthe color orfldecorativeeffeet a'the ,yarnis manufactured or used in knitting 'machinesbr."weaving"machines or the like. The decorative *component "2 may beformed of a thin 'she'et lll'oif a'luminum foil' (which, for example,may bfl approximately" ,00094 inch thick) Eachsidepi the: sh'e'tgbrfoil] 5' maybe coated with a colorful dye '5 and then covered With anacetate film '6 (on each side) to provide a generally laminated sheethaving the metallic core which is colored or dyed and then covered Withan abrasion-resistant coating. Instead of applying the dye directly tothe metallic foil, the acetate may be colored and this colored acetatemay be applied directly to the metallic foil so that the acetate impartsboth color and abrasionresistant qualities to the metallic foil.Moreover, the application of the acetate to the metallic foil increasesthe tensile strength as Well as the abrasion-resistant qualities of thefoil. Thereafter, the foil may be cut into long strips, of suitablelength, to be applied as a decorative component '2, in strip form, asshown in Figure 1, to the core IO. Each of the acetate coatings may. forexample, be approximately .00088 inch thick so that the total thicknessof the decorative component may be, for example, approximately .0027inch. 'These narrow strande '2 of the decorative component may =beformed into' long strips so as to be applied generally ccntinu ouslytothe core e and secured thereto by the strand '3 to provide longlengths of the' yarn 9 suitable for use "in knitting, weaving, braiding,lace-making or the like.

It is to be understood that the decorative component may `bemanufactured in a continuous process by coating a generally continuousthin, narrow strip of metallic foil With dye and acetate and/ordye-containingacetate, rather than manufacturing the decorativecomponent in sheets from which, subsequently, the strips of decorativecomponents may be produced;

In addition, two or more of the decorative components '2, such as l2-aand l2-b shown in Figure 6, andeach formed of a metallic foildifferently colored (or having difierently 'colored acetate coatings)may be secured generally parallel and adjacent to each other byaspirally wound strand l3-a, in a manner similar to the formation oftheyarn 9'. Thus, the d ecorative components, lz-a and I2-b may be securedto.-

gether, without, the core IO interposed there,- between, to provide amulti-colored strand of yarn or theslike. The decorative components IZ-a.and 12-21 Which form the multi-colored strand Q-ahave sufficienttensile strength 'imparted thereto by their respective acetate coatingsso that the embodiment shown in Figure 6 may be used in weaving,knitting, braidinglacemaking or the like without the necessityof havinga'cotton core (or'core of similar material) associated therewith.

It is to be understood thatmore' than one of the decorative components'2 may be used in conjunction' with thecore Hl to 'provide a strand ofyarn having a greater number=of colorful metallic 'spots, or'havingspots of more than one color distributed about the surface thereof.

It is also to be understood that the yarn s-may include a core 'n and adecorative component '2 having any desirable combination df colors inthe core and decorative component; f It is also to be understood thatthe spiral strand l 3 may be ofa contrasting colon' but; preferably, Ichoose a strand which blonds 'with the color'of the backgroundjyarn or'core' ill and is small enough so ast bbsCure relatively litt1e off thesurface-area of the -decorative component las it passesthereacross;whereby; tothe observer; the yarn consists o'f a generally central coreof one color having colorful metallic spotsor areas of a contrastingcolor distributed at random about the surface thereof.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms withoutdeparting from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and it istherefore desired that the present embodiments be considered in allrespects as illustratve and not restrictive, reference being had to theap'- pended claims rather than the foregoing description to indicate thescope of the invention.

Having described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to protectby Letters Patent is the following:

1. In a composite yarn, a core, a thin narrow decorative strip ofcontrasting color secured to the surface of said core by aspirally-wound strand, the diameter of said strand being much smallerthan the diameter of said core, the pitch of said spirally-wound strandbeing greatly in excess of the diameter of said strand.

2. In a composite yarn, a core, a thin narrow decorative metallic stripof contrasting color secured to the surface of said core by aspirallywound strand, the diameter of said strand being much smallerthan the diameter of said core, the pitch of said spirally-wound strandbeing greatly in excess of the diameter of said strand.

3. In a composite yarn, a core, a thin narrow decorative strip ofcontrasting color secured to the surface of said core generally paralleltherewith by a spirally-wound strand the diameter of said strand beingmuch smaller than the diameter of said core, the pitch of saidspirally-wound strand being greatly in excess of the diameter of saidstrand. j

4. In a composite yarn, a core, a thin narrow decorative strip ofcontrasting color secured to the surface of said core by aspirally-wound strand, the diameter of said strand being much smallerthan the diameter of said core, the pitch of said spirally-wound strandbeing greatly in excess of the diameter of said strand, said decorativestrip comprising a colored and acetatecovered thin metallic foil.

5. A multi-ply strand comprising a plurality of thin narrow strips, ofmetallic foil each colored and covered with an acetate coating andsecured LEO SILVERMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 437,632 Splitdorf Sept. 30, 18901,529,056 Ellis Mar. 10, 1925 1,803,021 Koella Apr. 28, 1931 1,990,840Protz Feb. 12, 1935 2,041,418 Katz May 19, 1936 2046386 strain July 7,1936 2,058,783 Franke Oct. 27, 1936 2,118,847 Katz May 31, 19382,132,620 Hill et al Oct. 11, 1 938 2,150,058 Frazier Mar. '7, 19392,161,819 Katz June 13, 1939 2,174,912 Thielking Oct. 3, 1939`2,250,4=73 DeLong July 29, 1941 2,268,673 Reynolds Jan. 6, 19422,326,955 Mack et al. Aug. 17, 1943 2,528,523 Kent Nov. 7, 1950 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 219,902 Switzerland June 1, 1942 407,457Great Britain Mar. 22, 1934

